Solon City Council confirmed and swore in Courtney Perkins as chief of the Solon Police Department during its Sept. 15 meeting, approving an ordinance that established his compensation and declaring the measure an emergency. The ceremony and ordinance were part of an evening in which the mayor and council highlighted Perkins’s experience and outlined immediate priorities for the department.

In remarks before the swearing, Mayor Krause said the council and city leadership had interviewed three internal candidates and selected Perkins after “the most enjoyable interviews” she had experienced. “Past behavior is the most reliable predictor of future behavior,” the mayor said, noting Perkins’s military and law-enforcement credentials and his service on training and task-force assignments.

Courtney Perkins spoke after taking the oath and thanked colleagues, family and community members in attendance. “I just want to give a few thank yous,” Perkins said. “I really appreciate all the support, all the faces. Of course, my wife, Julia … she’s the brains behind the operation.”

The ordinance confirming Perkins’s appointment (Ordinance No. 2025171) was placed on the council’s consent agenda and approved as part of the consent motion. The consent agenda — which included the confirmation ordinance — passed on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting yes.

Mayor Krause and councilmembers described several priorities Perkins discussed during the selection process and in his remarks: sustaining departmental excellence, continued community engagement programs such as Citizens Academy and Coffee with a Cop, expanded recruiting and a focus on training and wellness for officers. The mayor described Perkins’s background in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, service on a county SWAT team and multiple departmental awards, and said he would pursue “improvement and sustained excellence.”

Council comments after the confirmation reflected broad support. Councilmember Khan said, “I’d like to congratulate new Chief Perkins on his new role. I’m sure him and his team will do an excellent job,” and Councilmember Bentley said the department “is in really good hands moving forward.” Several other council members echoed congratulations and recounted personal observations of Perkins’s engagement with residents.

No formal motions were recorded at the meeting opposing the appointment, and no vote counts against the confirmation were recorded; the consent agenda that included the confirmation passed unanimously.

The council did not set additional formal directives to staff tied to the confirmation at the meeting beyond the ordinance establishing compensation. Perkins and city leaders said they would pursue the priorities described during the interviews and remarks and will continue routine coordination with finance, human resources, the law department and other city departments.